The role of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, in building the mythology around Narendra Modi deserves closer scrutiny than India’s mainstream media has been able to muster thus far.

The designation of the walled city of Ahmedabad—not the city of Ahmedabad as hoardings outside the airport proclaim—on UNESCO’s World Heritage List will only please those who have seen the “Gujarat Model” on their smartphone.

Be that as it may, it is UNESCO’s overweening desire and urgency to provide a certificate to the state of media freedom under Narendra Modi’s watch that beggars belief.

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Earlier this year, UNESCO’s Secretariat in Paris (see screenshot, above) “approached” its India delegation with a proposal to host World Press Freedom day in India in 2018 “for a mutually beneficial opportunity for both India and UNESCO“.

May 3 was proclaimed as World Press Freedom day, or simply World Press Day, by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 following what is known as the Windhoek Declaration in Namibia.

and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Admittedly, over the years, World Press Freedom Day has been hosted in a number of countries which are not quite the shining lights of media freedom: Senegal (2005), Mozambique (2008), Indonesia (2017).

After the killings of journalists, after the raids on media houses, after silencing owners and editors, after trolling journalists and dissenters, after shutting down the internet?

After this?

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After this?

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After this?

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After this?

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After this?

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“UNESCO believes it [hosting World Press Day in India] will be an opportunity for India to bolster its credentials as a free and fair and open democracy and journalists from all over the world to discover India, who through their writing will increase India’s visibility on the world platform,” read the concept note for World Press Day 2018.

“Ghana was chosen in recognition of its record on freedom of expression and for the consistency with which the day had been marked locally over the years.

“Ghana is a good example of press freedom and freedom of expression to not only African countries but also many countries globally and this informed the decision to have the country host the 2018 global edition.”

What if the honour had gone to India? Would it have been in “recognition of its record on freedom of expression” under Modi? Would it have been because India “is a good example of press freedom and freedom of expression” under Modi?